China gave tea to the world, and turned its drinking into an art of attention. From the first cups recorded two thousand years ago, tea became medicine, ritual, and companionship all at once.
From Leaf to Cup
Six major types — green, white, yellow, oolong, black (hongcha), and dark (heicha, including puer) — differ by oxidation and terroir. The Gongfu tea ceremony uses small vessels and short steeps to coax the fullest fragrance from fine leaves.
A Way of Hospitality
Offering tea is the first gesture of welcome; the tea house is a place of conversation and quiet. Scholar-officials of old praised tea for the clarity of mind it brings — a cup as much a state of mind as a beverage.
Living Tradition
Today China’s tea culture blends ancient ritual with modern craft — from Fujian oolongs to Yunnan puer — inviting the world to slow down, pour carefully, and taste.
Explore tea and more
Our Chinese-language edition covers tea regions, ceremonies, and the people who keep them alive.
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